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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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Chapter 12<br />

That familiar sensation <strong>of</strong> warmth thickly pumping in<strong>to</strong> my cold veins was<br />

the first thing I felt as consciousness slowly flooded in<strong>to</strong> me. My joints<br />

creaked and cracked, my limbs ached, and countless spots along my flesh<br />

itched as the wounds knit shut. The final stages <strong>of</strong> my unnatural healing<br />

would no <strong>do</strong>ubt leave more scars.<br />

Then there was the chill <strong>of</strong> metal against my back, the rank stench <strong>of</strong> blood,<br />

flesh, and preserving fluid. There was the cold air <strong>of</strong> the room that kissed my<br />

now-warming skin.<br />

Gods damn it. Back in the Mortuary.<br />

“Hey, chief,” a familiar voice piped up. Relief washed through me that Morte<br />

was still here. Relief, then memory, then anger.<br />

“Morte, I <strong>to</strong>ld you <strong>to</strong> run. You could’ve <strong>be</strong>en killed!” I croaked. I spat out the<br />

last vestiges <strong>of</strong> congealed blood.<br />

Morte chuckled, “Hey, guess I’m a fighter after all. A fantastic fighter, really.<br />

I s<strong>to</strong>od my ground, you know, there were thirty <strong>of</strong> those filthy thugs around<br />

me, and you were yelling something, trying <strong>to</strong> shoo me away. But no! ‘I’ll<br />

save you, chief! I never aban<strong>do</strong>n a friend!’ You should’ve seen it. I <strong>do</strong>ve in<strong>to</strong><br />

the crowd and bit <strong>of</strong>f their heads one by one, and...”<br />

I put a hand up <strong>to</strong> s<strong>to</strong>p him, feeling those itching spots across my body,<br />

“Ugh, what happened after I went <strong>do</strong>wn?”<br />

“Oh, I ran like the Lady was after my ass. When I came back it looked like<br />

they were <strong>to</strong>o pissed <strong>of</strong>f about the guys we delivered <strong>to</strong> the Dusties <strong>to</strong> really<br />

loot you. They just stab<strong>be</strong>d you a bunch <strong>of</strong> times.”<br />

“That explains a few things,” I grunted, still aching from the hundred or so<br />

wounds, and slid <strong>of</strong>f the slab slowly.<br />

“Yeah, but I’ve got some bad news, Chief. I snuck around a bit, and it looks<br />

like our old blood-eyed pal is gone. And frankly, I <strong>do</strong>n’t quite trust the other<br />

Dusties.”<br />

75

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